


Weekend Visitor

by jessiejanelightyear



Category: Toy Story Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 09:50:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2647514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jessiejanelightyear/pseuds/jessiejanelightyear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bonnie brings Zurg home from Sunnyside for the weekend, how will Buzz and Jessie cope with this unexpected visit from "Daddy"?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Bonnie’s backpack hit the floor with a thud and she was out her bedroom door in a flash.  It was Friday, and in the Anderson family Friday dinners out were a well-established tradition.  Bonnie had even greater anticipation for this week’s outing, as it was the last weekend of summer.  The little girl would be starting kindergarten on Monday morning, although she would still be spending her afternoons at Sunnyside with her mother; and she was hopeful that maybe a special treat was in store, such as a movie or a trip to the arcade, in celebration of the big event.

The toys listened for the family’s car to pull out of the driveway, before coming to life and resuming their earlier activities.  They failed to notice, however, the rustling that was coming from the little blue backpack by the door, the bag shaking as the zipper slowly started to open.  As soon as they heard the _zzzzzip_ from across the room, the toys immediately stopped what they were doing and walked toward the backpack cautiously, waiting to see who or what would emerge.  Had Barbie and Ken stowed away for a surprise weekend visit?  Had Bonnie been permitted to borrow some random toy for a few days?  Or could she possibly have brought a new toy home for good?

Pointy black fingers grasped the top edge of the bag, as first two grey horns, then a purple head, and finally glowing red eyes came into view.  It didn’t take Bonnie’s toys long to realize exactly who they were dealing with.  As Buzz’s arch-nemesis wriggled himself free from the backpack, the space ranger struck a defensive pose and prepared for what he believed was an inevitable confrontation.  Jessie grasped her boyfriend’s arm, anxious yet ready to back him up if the need arose, while the other toys looked on nervously. 

Zurg glanced around the room, as his vision adjusted to the light.  Scanning the faces of the toys who were staring back at him in disbelief, he finally caught sight of a familiar one.

“Buzzie!  My boy!” he exclaimed, extending his arms affectionately as he traveled towards the dumbstruck space toy, who stood, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, not quite knowing how to reply. 

Jessie tugged on Buzz’s elbow, completely confused by the warm greeting.  “Buzz, why does he think he’s your Pa?  Buzz?” 

“What?”  The space ranger turned to his girlfriend and attempted to process what was happening.  “In the series, he _was_ my father,” Buzz explained, aside.  “Kind of like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.  Apparently, this Zurg has chosen to see me as his son rather than his enemy.” 

“Well, at least we don’t have a fight on our hands,” Jessie reasoned.

By this time, Zurg had approached Buzz and Jessie at the foot of Bonnie’s bed.  He pulled his perceived-son into an awkward embrace, then stepped back at arm’s length, his hands on Buzz’s shoulders, looking him over.

“My, how you’ve grown, son!  So tall and strong!”

The other toys, gathered in a semicircle around the scene that was unfolding, all stared in dismay.  Buzz wrested himself free from the deluded toy’s grip.

“I think you’re mistaking me for another Buzz Lightyear toy… Zurg.  I don’t believe I’ve ever met you before,” the space ranger politely stated.

“Please, call me Dad,” Zurg insisted.  “So, who do we have here?” He shifted his attention to Jessie.  “Son, do you have a girlfriend you didn’t tell me about?”

“Yes – well, not that I didn’t _tell_ you about – but this is Jessie.”  Buzz gently placed an arm around her waist, half in introduction, half in protection. 

“Really, Buzzie, a cowgirl?”  Zurg scoffed.  “You, a decorated Captain, the hero and pride of Star Command, and the best you can find is a _cowgirl_?  You could have had your pick of the galaxy!”

Jessie’s face twisted in rage as Buzz tightened his grip on her waist to restrain her.

“Now, hold on a minute.  I love Jessie, and we’re very happy together.  Besides, we’re _toys_.  I have never been to Star Command nor met anyone from another planet.  I really think you’re confusing me with another Buzz.”

“Nonsense,” the emperor brushed him off.  “I’d know my Buzzie Boy anywhere!  And we have so much catching up to do!”  The space ranger rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated groan. 

Woody, who was sympathetic to his best friend’s plight, stepped forward in an attempt to divert Zurg away from Buzz.

“Howdy – uh, emperor – I’m Woody,” the cowboy introduced himself to the taller space toy.  “Welcome to Bonnie’s room.  How are things at Sunnyside?”

“Sunnyside?” Zurg was taken aback by the reference to the daycare facility.  “Oh, things are as usual there.  But I don’t want to talk about Sunnyside; I want to spend time with my son.”

Dolly walked up to join Woody.  “Well, chances are you’re here for at least the weekend, so you’ve got plenty of time for that,” the rag doll interjected.  “Why don’t Woody and I here give you a tour of the place?  Might as well make yourself at home.”

“But –”   

Before Zurg could protest any further, Woody and Dolly whisked him toward the door and out into the hallway, pointing out the house’s landmarks along the way.  The rest of the toys scattered and went back about their business. 

As soon as the coast was clear, Buzz leaned against Bonnie’s wicker toybox and slumped wearily with his head in his hands.

“What’re we gonna do?” Jessie asked him.  “We gotta put up with _that_ the entire weekend?  What if she brought him home for keeps?”

“That’s just great, another space nut,” muttered Mr. Potato Head, as he and the Missus walked past the couple. 

The space ranger looked helplessly at his girlfriend.  “I honestly don’t know.  The only time I ever encountered another Zurg was at Al’s Toy Barn, and on the trip to the airport.  But he thought another Buzz was his son, not me.”

“Where’s my Buzzie?”  Zurg’s voice boomed as he returned to the room, followed by Woody and Dolly close behind.  “We have so much to talk about!”  The two friends shrugged their apology as the emperor hurried toward Buzz and Jessie. 

"Just call me Buzz, okay?”  The space ranger laughed uneasily.  “Only Jessie can get away with calling me Buzzie,” he mumbled.

“Aww, but you are my Buzzie!” Zurg reached out to pat Buzz’s cheek, but the space ranger recoiled just in time.  Unfazed by his supposed-son’s standoffishness, the emperor continued with his fatherly affections, making reference to _Buzz Lightyear of Star Command_ as if it were fact and asking pointless questions which Buzz answered tersely, his patience wearing thin.  After what seemed like an eternity, the space ranger was mercifully spared by the sound of the Andersons’ return. 

“Places, everyone!” instructed Woody.  Buzz quickly ushered Zurg back into the bag and resumed his original location with the others. 

“Hi toys!  Guess what?  We went to Pizza Planet!”  Bonnie rushed into the room and went straight for her backpack.  She unzipped it and pulled out Zurg, waving him above her head.

“Look who I brought home!  Mom said I could borrow him for the weekend.  He kinda looks like he goes with Buzz.”  She reached for Dolly on the bed.  “But I think the evil witch needs a new sidekick!”  She cackled, indicating Dolly’s voice, and ran around the room, making the two toys fly.

“Bonnie!  Bedtime, sweetheart!”  Mrs. Anderson called from the hallway.  “We have to go school shopping tomorrow.” 

The little girl set Dolly and Zurg down and proceeded with her nighttime routine.  Moments later she returned, teeth brushed and wearing her pajamas.  Her parents hugged and kissed her goodnight, and she arranged her toys for bed.

“You stand here,” she positioned Zurg on her nightstand, “because you don’t look very cuddly.” 

Buzz and Jessie were relieved to be among the chosen toys tucked under the covers that night, although they would have been much more comfortable if they had also been out of Zurg’s line of vision.  As soon as Bonnie drifted off to sleep, Jessie rolled over to face Buzz and kissed him playfully on the nose as she cuddled closer.  The space ranger looked over his girlfriend’s shoulder and saw his nemesis-father watching and waving at them from his post. 

“I wouldn’t do that, Jessie,” Buzz whispered.  “He’s watching us.”

“Then what do ya suggest we do?  Sneak out?”

“No, that’ll never work; he’ll follow us.  I can’t take any more interrogation today.  Just go to sleep, or at least pretend to.  Close your eyes.”

Jessie sighed, but knew Buzz was right.  The couple snuggled together under the covers, trying their best to convince Zurg that they were sound asleep.  After a few minutes had passed, Buzz cracked an eye open slightly to see if Zurg was still watching.  Sure enough, the emperor met his gaze, and the space ranger snapped his eye shut hastily.  _‘Blast,’_ he thought, _‘he never gives up!’_

Before long, feigned slumber became real, as the space ranger and cowgirl found one sure way of escaping, at least for now, from their unwelcome visitor.      


	2. Chapter 2

The aroma of pancakes wafted through the Anderson house until it reached the nostrils of a sleeping Bonnie, who stirred at the smell of her favorite breakfast.

“Mmm,” she stretched and rubbed her eyes.  “I hope they’re chocolate chip.”

The little girl sat up in bed and glanced at the toys that were closest to her.  She picked up Buzz and Jessie, and two bare feet hit the floor then shuffled out the door toward the kitchen.  If she had happened to look down at the toy couple she carried in her arms, she couldn’t have helped but notice the relief that spread across their faces at the thought of even a brief respite from Zurg’s presence.   

And brief their break was.  Bonnie returned a half hour later, setting the duo back down on her bed.  “You be good while I’m gone,” she spoke out loud to the room, as she dressed for her outing to the mall.  “I’ll show you all my new school stuff when I get home!” 

Once she had left the room, the toys came to life.  The click of the front door and the rev of an engine told them that they were free for at least a couple hours.  Buzz and Jessie sat up and tried to avoid eye contact with Zurg, who they assumed was still watching them from the nightstand.  They wasted no time in sliding down the side of the bed and making a beeline for the bedroom door. 

“Buzzie!  Wait!  Where are you going?”  Zurg awkwardly swung himself over the edge of the nightstand, and hung by his fingertips before dropping to the floor.

“Jessie and I are going to watch some TV, while the family’s gone,” Buzz replied tersely.  “We’ll be back later.”

The emperor followed after them.  “But I thought we could spend some time together today, father and son.” 

The dejected tone to his voice made Buzz feel guilty, and the couple stopped, their getaway thwarted.  “I guess we don’t have to go just yet,” he conceded grudgingly.  

“Buzz!” Jessie frantically whispered.

“We’ll just give him a few minutes, to pacify him,” the space ranger replied under his breath.  “Then maybe we can get him off our back.”  He turned to Zurg, and braced himself for the awkwardness to come.  “Umm, what do you want to talk about?”  

“I suppose I better get used to having _you_ around, since Buzzie seems so fond of you,” the emperor said, indicating Jessie.  “So, tell me, how did you two meet?” 

“Well, it’s sort of a long story,” Jessie began, her voice uncharacteristically timid.  “Woody, he was Andy’s toy, with Buzz ‘n some of the others here, but he got kidnapped by the fella who owned me ’n my horse Bullseye.  When Buzz came to rescue him, Bullseye ‘n I went home with them.”

Zurg feigned shock.  “You were owned by a _man_?  And you went home willingly with other men you just met?  Really, Buzzie, what kind of—“

“Hold on, it ain’t like that!” the cowgirl blurted out defensively, insulted by his implications.  Her green eyes widened and her lips pursed in a plea for Buzz to intervene. 

“Woody is her brother, and she was owned by a toy collector,” clarified Buzz, cutting in.  “Jessie is a valuable vintage toy—“

“Vintage?  As in an older woman?”  The emperor shook his head disapprovingly.  “So my Buzzie is just another conquest in a long line of suitors?” 

The cowgirl’s face twisted in offense at Zurg’s accusation.  “No!  Buzz is my first—“

“I find that hard to believe, since you’re so much _older_.”

Jessie glared at the rude interruption, and Buzz responded instead, taking her hand in an attempt to diffuse her temper.  “Jessie spent a lot of time alone, in storage.”

“Do you mean to tell me she was in _jail_?”

“Not jail _, storage_ , like in a box, and from no fault of her own.”  Once again, the space ranger was rapidly losing patience with his pseudo-father’s interrogations.  “Now can we please change the subject?  This is not something she’s comfortable discussing.”

“Of course, I should have known she’d have her weaknesses,” Zurg scoffed.  “Although, seeing that she’s dressed like a man, you’d think she would be stronger.  You could have at least found someone who wasn’t so plain.”   He exhaled dramatically, as if resigning himself to the inevitable.   “I might as well ask, how long have you been together?”

“One year, as of last week.”  Buzz looked at his cowgirl and smiled.  Her eyes met his, and the ire clouding her features dissipated at the mention of their milestone.  “Although, we were friends for ten years before that.” 

“Ten years?!?” the emperor exclaimed.  “Why in the universe haven’t you married her yet, son?  I personally think you can do better, but if you’re determined to keep this one, why not make an honest woman out of her?”

“I can’t believe this!  We will take things at our own pace, not yours,” Buzz snapped, getting angrier by the minute.  “Why do we have to justify our choices to you, anyway?  I don’t see how our relationship is any of your business.” 

“It _is_ my business, I am your father!” Zurg argued.  “I just want the best for my Buzzie, even if it does have to be this common little _country_ girl.”

“That’s IT!” Jessie released Buzz’s hand and lunged at the emperor in a fury.  The space ranger grabbed his girlfriend around the waist and held her back, as her legs and arms swung wildly. 

“Lemme at ‘im!” she shrieked.  “I’ve had enough‘a his meddlin’!”

“Calm down, Jessie, it’s okay,” he soothed.

“It AIN’T okay!  He’s got no right to talk to us like that!”

“I can see why you find her so charming, son,” Zurg remarked sarcastically.  “You know, a Melstronian princess would never behave in such an unladylike fashion.”

The cowgirl tried to wriggle free from her boyfriend’s grasp. “Ohhh, I’m gonna tan his hide!”

“I’ll handle this,” Buzz asserted, before facing Zurg.  “I will not have you insulting the woman I love!  You know NOTHING about her, or me for that matter.  Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re leaving for a while.  Alone.”  Jessie’s defiant stare remained fixed on Zurg, who looked blankly back at them, unaffected by their emotion.  “Come on, Jessie,” Buzz urged, placing a hand on the small of her back to guide her along.  She scowled at the offending space toy one more time, then turned to leave with her boyfriend.

The couple stormed out of the room, with no destination in mind—anywhere but where Zurg was would be fine—in a desperate search for some peace and quiet. 

“The nerve’a him!”  Jessie shrieked.  “Who does he think he is?  He ain’t your real Pa, he’s just some deluded ol’ toy from Sunnyside who thinks he can run our lives!”

“I almost wish he saw me as the enemy,” Buzz sighed.  “At least then I’d know how to handle him.  But this…”

Woody was making his rounds, checking on the other toys who were elsewhere in the house.  He stopped Buzz and Jessie as he passed them in the hallway, still venting to each other. 

“How’s it going?  Enjoying the family reunion?” the cowboy questioned with a smirk.

“Don’t ask,” Buzz grumbled.  “If he was just harassing me—but now he’s finding fault with Jessie.  I don’t know what to do.”

“That’s family for ya, right Jess?” Woody teased his sister, trying to lighten the mood. 

The cowgirl doll wasn’t amused.  “But he ain’t family, Woody! He just thinks he is.”

“Well, if you want to be technical, we’re not really brother and sister, being toys and all,” he reasoned.  “Not any more so than Zurg and Buzz are father and son.  But we were manufactured to have that relationship, and choose to honor it.  We’re probably more like family to each other than a lot of human siblings, right?”

Jessie nodded reluctantly.  She couldn’t argue with her brother’s logic, and he continued, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder in reassurance.

“Sure, we drive each other crazy every now and then, that’s what family does.  But we’re always there for each other when it really counts.  Maybe if you give Zurg a chance, set some boundaries, it might not be so bad.  Having a family is a rare thing in the toy world; it might be worth giving it a shot.  Just try talking to him.” 

“I suppose you’re right,” Buzz admitted. 

“Do I have to be nice to him?” whined Jessie.  “He hates me!”

“It’s the right thing to do, Jessie,” her boyfriend calmly reminded her.  The cowgirl groaned, but knew she would have to at least try.  For Buzz.  

Buzz and Jessie walked back into Bonnie’s room with trepidation, and found Zurg standing behind Rex and Trixie at Bonnie’s computer, cheering on the video game villains the two dinosaurs were trying to defeat. 

“Uh… Zurg?   Can we talk?  In private?”

“I told you to call me Dad, son,” he reminded the space ranger.  “And, sure—but does she have to come too?” he spoke under his breath and gestured to Jessie. 

“Yes,” Buzz insisted, wrapping an arm around Jessie’s waist.  “You need to accept that she’s a permanent part of my life, or you’ll have no relationship with me.”

“Fine,” the emperor muttered.  But before they could proceed any further, Woody’s entrance cut their discussion short.

“They’re home!” the cowboy called out as he passed through the doorway, followed by Dolly and Chuckles, who had been watching the television after Buzz and Jessie never claimed it.

Toys dispersed to the locations Bonnie had left them in and fell inanimate.  In moments Mrs. Anderson and her daughter appeared, heavy-laden with shopping bags.

“Put your school supplies in your backpack now, Bon Bon, so they don’t get misplaced,” she instructed, “and set your new clothes out on the bed.  I’ll help you put them away later.”  With a kiss on the top of Bonnie’s head, Mrs. Anderson exited the room and left the little girl to the task at hand. 

“Hi toys!” she exclaimed.  “Look at all my new stuff!”  She began picking up the shopping bags and turning them upside down, haphazardly dumping the contents out on her bed.  Toys were buried under piles of clothing as she sorted the pencils, crayons, scissors, and such from between the folds of fabric.

After filling her backpack, the little girl proceeded to put on an impromptu fashion show for her toys, lining them up as a runway audience throughout the room.  Donning each shirt and skirt and pair of pants in her new wardrobe, she made fanciful outfits befitting her quirky style, and hours passed as each ensemble was tried on and discarded for the next. 

“Bonnie Anderson, look at the mess in here!” exclaimed her mother, as she came to call her daughter for dinner and discovered the crumpled clothes strewn across the bed and floor.  “All your pretty new clothes will be dirty and wrinkled.  Get me some hangers, so we can clean this up before dinner gets cold.” 

The little girl dragged her step stool over to the closet and reached for the hangers on the bar.  Taking them to her mother, the two hung and folded their purchases and put them away quickly.  Before she left the bedroom, Bonnie grabbed Zurg and Dolly.

“You two can make up evil plots together while I eat!”

The rest of Bonnie’s toys enjoyed the reprieve while Zurg was away with their owner, and relaxed quietly as they listened for her return.  They could hear her laughter down the hall as she watched a movie with her parents, then the splashing and giggling as she took her bath.  Finally Bonnie stumbled tiredly into the room, pulled on clean pajamas, and was soon joined by her parents.

Her father tousled her damp brown hair, then retrieved her wet towel from the floor.  “Grab your toys and hop into bed, squirt.” 

The little girl scanned the room quickly but thoughtfully.  She picked up Zurg—despite not considering him cuddly enough the night before—as well as Dolly, Mr. Pricklepants, and Woody, and lined them up against the spare pillow, then climbed into bed herself.

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”  Bonnie’s mother tucked the covers around her, and both parents hugged and kissed her before turning out the light.  In moments she was asleep, Woody clutched tightly in her arms. 

As soon as the house was still, Buzz and Jessie slipped down from Bonnie’s small table, where they had been placed during the fashion show, and headed stealthily down the hall towards the living room.  They climbed up onto the couch and settled down against the soft cushions, relieved to finally have some time just the two of them, to sit and talk in private.  Of course, the conversation immediately turned to their recent trials with Zurg.

“I tried Buzz, I really did. But he’s impossible!” 

“I know you did.” He kissed her forehead.  “Don’t let him get to you anymore.  I’ll talk to him tomorrow if I have to.  We just have one more day to survive, and then he’ll be gone.”

“Good riddance.”

The couple reclined on the sofa and lay together in the calm darkness, Jessie’s head on Buzz’s shoulder, his hand absentmindedly playing with her hair.   Just as it seemed as if they were succumbing to the exhaustion of their day, Jessie’s worried voice broke the silence. 

“Buzz?”

“Hmm?” the space ranger mumbled, half asleep.

“Is he right?”

“Who?”

“Zurg.”

“What are you talking about?  He’s crazy.”

“I’m serious.  He called me old, and plain, and weak.  And my clothes—I’m not girly, it’s true.”

Buzz raised himself up on one elbow, so that he could look his girlfriend in the eye, and gently brushed her cheek with his free hand.  “Listen to me, Jessie.  You are nothing he said you are.  You’re beautiful, and brave and strong.  And you may not be girly, but you are feminine… and hot.”

Jessie giggled and pulled him in for a tender kiss, thanking him wordlessly for always knowing what she needed to hear.

“You know I like your jeans,” he smirked, slipping his hand in her back pocket, as they settled into a cozy embrace.  “I don’t want you to change anything about yourself, ever.  I love my cowgirl.” 


	3. Chapter 3

Sundays were lazy days for Bonnie’s toys.  Every week they could count on Bonnie and her family going to church in the morning, then spending the afternoon at her grandmother’s house on the other side of town.  Knowing they were free to do as they pleased for the better part of the day, game tournaments and movie marathons had become a weekly tradition; so as soon as their owner had left, the toys scattered throughout the house at various pursuits.  Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head had claimed the living room television for some family time with their alien boys, with Mr. Pricklepants adding uninvited commentary.  Slinky had roped Chuckles into checkers in the kitchen.  And back in Bonnie’s room, Rex and Trixie were busy at their usual gaming on the little girl’s laptop; Totoro was playing with the three peas-in-a-pod; and Hamm and Buttercup had begun a heated match of Battleship. 

Unfortunately, all this free time didn’t bode well for Buzz and Jessie and their problems dealing with Zurg.  Since every attempt to socialize with the menacing space toy had only met with disaster, the couple had decided it would be in their best interests to stay away from him completely on what they hoped was his final day there.  Knowing his prior persistence, however, they feared it would be easier said than done.  In an effort to fend Zurg off for as long a time as possible, Buzz and Jessie immediately snatched Woody and Dolly for a game of Monopoly, and the quartet worked together to hoist the game box and themselves up onto Bonnie’s bed and out of the elder space toy’s reach.  Maybe, they thought, that would manage to keep the emperor at bay for a least a few hours. 

Their plan worked.  Four hours later, Jessie had amassed an empire, and their game had been successfully uninterrupted.  The cowgirl grinned as she counted her cash and waited for the other players to take their turns.  Woody, who was in last place as the game reached its conclusion, slumped as he sat facing his sister, his face contorted in aggravation.  Buzz looked across the board and shared a smirk with Dolly, amused by the competitive siblings; then he rolled the dice and proceeded to make his next move. 

On the floor below, the room was full of activity.  By the closet, Rex and Trixie sat at Bonnie’s computer; the two dinosaurs alternating between exclamations of frustration and intense silence as they focused on defeating a particularly challenging level of their video game.  Near them, next to the bedroom door, Totoro stood juggling the peas, who giggled mirthfully as they bounced up and down in his plush hands. On the opposite side of the room, Hamm and Buttercup attempted to concentrate on their Battleship strategy, but were growing increasingly impatient as Zurg hovered over them, loudly giving away their locations. 

“We did it!  Haha!  We actually did it!”

Shouts of joy resonated from the corner by the closet, as Rex and Trixie celebrated their video game victory.  Caught up in the excitement of the moment, Rex spun around carelessly, completely oblivious of the other toys nearby.  Without warning, the dinosaur’s tail struck Totoro with force, throwing the plush off balance.  Totoro lunged forward and was unable to gain control of the peas, who were still in mid-toss.  Peanelope and Peatrice dropped to the floor, but Peatey was sent flying.

At the sound of a childlike scream, Jessie glanced up to see Peatey come hurtling high over the wicker basket at the foot of Bonnie’s bed, landing in a painted mug on the top shelf of the adjacent built-in bookcase. 

The cowgirl gasped.   “Oh, no!  Peatey!”

Jessie leapt into action.  Looking for something that would work as a lasso, she found a skein of thick yarn in Bonnie’s craft bin and pulled out enough length to reach the top shelf.  Effortlessly she anchored it on a sturdy bookend near where the little plush pea was trapped, and after making sure it was secure, she scaled the rope rapidly.  At the same time, Buzz pushed one of Bonnie’s small chairs over to the shelf and jumped on top of it, standing ready should either of them fall or need assistance. 

Once at the summit of the built-in shelving, she rushed to Peatey’s aid.  He was lodged tightly in the mug, but Jessie’s slim hands freed him with ease, and she scooped him up in a comforting embrace.  The little toy was crying and shaking, still fraught with fear.

"Shh, it’s okay, lil’ fella, Jessie’s got ya.”  The cowgirl hugged the plush pea child and wiped the tears from his eyes.  “You’re safe now.  But I hafta toss you down to Buzz, so I can get down too.”  Once again she saw panic fill the toy’s eyes, and she kissed the top of his head.  “Don’t worry.  He won’t let ya fall, I promise.”

On the chair below, Buzz extended his arms in preparation.  Jessie called out the countdown.

“Ready?  One, two, three—”

Peatey closed his eyes tightly, and in an instant the space ranger had caught him.   Jessie untied her lasso from the bookend and dropped it to the floor, then cautiously lowered herself shelf by shelf.  When she reached the bottom, she hurried over to her boyfriend and gently took the pea from his arms with a smile of thanks.  Buzz set to work recoiling the used length of yarn and putting it away.   

The cowgirl cradled the traumatized young toy in her arms, rocking gently back and forth. Soon, his sobs calmed to sniffles. 

Buzz knelt down beside her and grinned warmly, his hand on the small of her back.  “How are we doing over here?  All better?”  He kissed Jessie on the cheek, and patted Peatey on the head. 

The toys who had gathered around the dramatic scene began to disperse and return to their previous activities.  Zurg had kept his distance during the action; however, his eyes remained fixed on the familial tableau unfolding a short distance away. 

 _‘Athletic prowess, roping skills, and maternal instinct?’_ he thought.  Perhaps he hadn’t given the cowgirl a fair chance.

The emperor slowly made his way over to where Buzz and Jessie now sat together, playing with all three peas, a concerned Peanelope and Peatrice having come to check on their brother.  The child had completely recovered from his ordeal, and he laughed as the couple rolled him and his sisters back and forth.  However, when Buzz and Jessie felt Zurg’s shadow hovering over them, they sent the little triplets on their way.

“You run along now,” Buzz nudged them, firmly but kindly, not wanting the children to witness a likely confrontation.

Peatey hopped up in Jessie’s lap.  She lifted him, and he nuzzled her cheek affectionately.

“Thank you for rescuing me.”

“Aww, anytime, squirt.”  The cowgirl wrapped him in a warm hug, then set him down and patted him on the back.  “Now, scoot.”

Once the peas had left the area, Buzz approached Zurg and spoke with formality.  “Is there something we can help you with?”     

“That was impressive, how you saved that… green sphere,” Zurg complimented her.

“Thanks,” Jessie replied flatly, still cut deeply by his harsh words the day before and unwilling to trust him.

“I mean it,” the emperor continued, turning to Buzz.  “Son, I believe I may have been too rash in my judgment of the cowgirl.  I can see now why you are taken by her.  She may be a worthy match after all.”

The couple looked on in astonishment at what had been said, but had no chance to respond.  Suddenly, the toys who had been in other locations throughout the house returned to Bonnie’s room, with the announcement that the Andersons had just pulled up.  Everyone scrambled to clean up their activities and fell inanimate as the family bustled through the front door. 

There was much commotion as Mrs. Anderson and Bonnie made their first-day-of-school preparations for the kindergartener.  From picking out the perfect outfit and accessories, to making sure that her bag was filled with all required supplies, everything was done to ensure that the morning would run as smoothly as possible.  Once everything was finished in Bonnie’s room, they headed for the kitchen to pack her lunch and eat a light supper to supplement the large meal they had eaten at her grandmother’s.  After a short while, mother and daughter entered the bedroom again, to the sounds of the little girl’s complaints. 

“But Moooom, I haven’t played with my toys all day!”

“I know, sweetie, but you have to get a bath and go right to bed.  You have your first day of school tomorrow!  Don’t forget to put the toy you borrowed in your bag, so we can take it back to Sunnyside.”

Bonnie bathed and dressed in her pajamas, then walked around the room hugging her toys goodnight.  When she came to Zurg she stashed him in her already-full bag, then grabbed Dolly, Buttercup, and Woody to tuck into bed with her.  Following goodnight hugs and kisses from her parents, the little girl was tucked in and the room’s lights were extinguished, the only illumination coming from the starry nightlight beside her bed.  Before long, she was fast asleep.

Once they were certain the house was quiet and the coast was clear, Buzz and Jessie roused and crept towards the bedroom door, the living room their intended destination.   As they passed Bonnie’s backpack leaning against the wall, however, a slow _zzzzzzip_ caught their attention.

Zurg’s glowing face popped up above the arched top of the backpack.  “Where do you two think you’re going at this hour?” 

“N-nowhere,” Buzz rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he searched for a suitable excuse for his father.

“I’m sorry, what was I thinking?” Zurg apologized, and Buzz sighed in relief.  “You’re a grown man.  Besides, how am I supposed to ever expect any grandbabies if you two don’t get any time alone together?”

This time it was Jessie’s turn for her jaw to drop in disbelief at what she was hearing.

“Uh… D-dad… we’re toys.  I think grandch-ch-children are highly unlikely.” 

“I have you, don’t I?”  The couple could have sworn that they saw one of the emperor’s sinister red eyes wink mischievously, before he waved his hands to usher them away.  “Now, never you mind, off with you two.  Nighty night.”

As Buzz and Jessie strolled down the hall to the living room, the cowgirl broke their silence.

"He ain't for real, is he?  I mean... we can't... right?"

Buzz paused, pondering.  “I don’t think so… should we ask Woody, before we—“

“NO!” Jessie exclaimed, not wanting to involve her brother in such personal matters.  “I guess we’ll just hafta take our chances.”

* * *

 

The following morning, Buzz awoke on the sofa to the beeping of the Andersons’ alarm clock down the hall.  He looked to the cowgirl sleeping soundly alongside him, her head nestled against his chest, and kissed her lovingly on the forehead.  He then gently rubbed the arm that was draped across his middle, trying to rouse her.

“Jess, wake up, we have to get back to Bonnie’s room,” he whispered.

As they tiptoed back into the little girl’s room, they heart a ‘ _psst!_ ’ sounding from the backpack leaning against the wall.

“Buzzie!” Zurg called out in a loud whisper. “Did you have a nice night?”  The suggestive tone of the Emperor’s voice made Buzz cringe.  “I wanted to say goodbye before I return to Sunnyside today.  It’s been great catching up with you, son.”  He extended his pointy hand, which Buzz cautiously shook.  “And Jessie?” the paternal space toy turned to the wary cowgirl, “it’s been an honor meeting you.  I see how happy you make my Buzzie, and that’s all that really matters.  Welcome to the family.”  He held his hand out to her this time, as a peace offering, and her features softened as she grasped it and shook enthusiastically. 

“Will you come back?” Buzz asked, a tinge of hopefulness in his voice.

The corners of Zurg’s villainous mouth turned up ever so slightly at the unexpected invitation.  “Do you want me to?”

Buzz returned the smile. “Sure, that would be nice.”  Jessie nodded in agreement.

Zurg slapped Buzz on the back with force, causing the space ranger to stumble.  “Well, then, I’ll be back to visit soon, son,” he chuckled heartily.  “And you better invite me to the wedding.”


End file.
